The biggest and best version of Axis & Allies is finally back in print

The Anniversary Edition of Axis & Allies is widely considered to be the best reincarnation of Larry Harris’ ‘80s WWII wargaming classic, but it’s been notoriously hard to track down a copy of the deluxe set for the last near-decade – unless you're willing to cough up hundreds of pounds, that is.

It should become a whole lot easier (and cheaper) now, however, as Avalon Hill has just released a fresh printing of the 2008 version originally released to mark the 50th anniversary of the publishing studio.

This year’s second edition of the Anniversary Edition is largely untouched from the original, which introduced cruiser units to players’ naval forces and added Italy as the third Axis nation and sixth playable side. Meanwhile, China joined the control of the US team.

The set also debuted the biggest board in the Axis & Allies series, a whopping 24-by-46-inch map that’s filled with the game’s more than 650 miniatures.

What has changed slightly is the rulebook, which has had various errata released over the last nine years and a FAQ section added.

The new Anniversary Edition of Axis & Allies has a price tag of £84, but it’s already being sold for quite a bit under that.

Harris recently announced that he is working on a new wargame also set during World War II and featuring an enormous map, War Room, which will make its debut on Kickstarter sometime this autumn.